Power Team Elite F/A-18 Hornet Review

This is another of those reviews that I've been waiting a long time to get to.  Ever since I discovered World Peacekeepers/Power Team Elite brand of toys, I was especially enthused to get my hands on a few of these being a big fan of Joe-compatible jets.  My first and best love among GI Joe vehicles was the SkyStriker, which when I started this blog were very easy to find at retail  However, by that time, the Big PTE jets had long since come and gone from retail and online was the only option; even then, they were expensive and sporadically available.  My hunt for one of these things went on for nearly a year:  I had won an internet auction and had gotten it for a steal, but then the seller claimed it was "damaged" and refunded my money.  Second attempt broke down because I didn't have the requisite cash at the time (in honesty, I had low-balled a little on the offer).  Eventually my patience was rewarded and I was able to collect a total of four over the next year or so.

Power Team Elite 'Hornet' in retail packaging

Do I really need four?!  It's likely I don't, but then again there are a few variants out there and one I do not yet have.  Plus, I'm hooked on aircraft in general, and an airfield full of planes all laid out would be a dream diorama for me if not for the prohibitive space issues.  The four variations I know of are the grey, black, green camo, and a desert camouflage.  I have examples in gray and one in black (one of the grey examples that someone had done a Sky Striker custom paint job on has broken wingtips, more on that later...).

There's really not much to say about the retail packaging other than it shows you pretty much everything you're getting in the package.  There's nothing elaborate going on with packaging arrangement, but as it's not a playset there really doesn't have to be.  It's actually pretty easy to take out and detach from the few wires that are holding the main body of the aircraft in place.

The bare plane is very sleek looking.  This gray model seems to be the most widely available of the variants.  It's body has been 'weathered' with a light blackening, detail the other variants lack.  The canopy has been given a tinge of blue to complement the grey scheme.  As far as I know, the other variants all have a transparent canopy.

Between the above and below images, you'll find all the accessories that come with the Hornet.  You receive two figures: a pilot and what appears to be some sort of landing signal officer.  The accessories that belong with the figures are a paddle, signalling wand, and a few gas cans that you see quite frequently with PTE sets.  While the paddle and wand match the LSO well, the inclusion of the gas cans is nonsense in principal.  Jet fighters carry thousands of pounds worth of fuel, and filling them a few gallons at a time is just silly.

The figures themselves are an afterthought, a given in this line of toys.  They are blocky with rough articulation and the pilot lacks any head articulation (but at least that orange vest is a complete win!).  Nothing different than from previous reviews of this line.  However, the rest of the accessories really shine!
 

Rounding out the accessories are a ladder, two bomb racks, four bombs, four missiles, and two external fuel tanks.  The bombs look like Mk 82s, the missiles on the above right are AIM-9 Sidewinders, those on the left look like AGM-88 HARM anti-radar missiles, and rounding it off are two external fuel tanks.  On the grey version, you will see yellow (or black) tips on the missiles, and a darker shade of grey on the fuel tanks.  Near the bottom of this review, you will see the Black version replaces these colors with red. 

The one-sided instruction sheet is simple and probably isn't really necessary, provided you can figure out that the wings actually need to be put on.  It's just one of those obligatory things you have to include, I guess, so there it is.

The stickers are plain and not very fancy.  They do offer you a good array of number choices, which is often something missing from Hasbro sticker sheets.

One thing I find very appealing about the F/A-18 from Power Team elite is that it fills a certain hole in the GI Joe organization for me: a true multi-role jet armed for both air-to-air and air-to-ground engagements.  The Sky Striker has six air-to-air armaments and the Tomcat was built primarily as an interceptor designed to protect the carrier fleet from cruise missiles and other air threats.  It was a large aircraft with a lot of thrust and speed.  While later it was adapted for use as a bomber, close air support (CAS), and Forward Air Control (FAC) roles where it performed admirably.  However, it was expensive and lacked the low speed agility of smaller fighters.  To me the Sky Striker's primary purpose is better suited for air-superiority, while the Hornet can be the workhorse strike fighter.

The PTE Hornet's accessory compliment suits it for the strike fighter role well, but it cannot carry all of it.  It has one PTE styled slide pylons on each wing tip and two more on each wing interior.  It has six total weapon stations.  The four bombs can be attached to a total of two pylons by first attaching two to each multiple ejector rack.

The mount format is identical to that of the A-10 Thunderbolt from PTE that I reviewed some months ago.  The fit of these accessories isn't always the correct fit moving from one toy to the next, but with a few adjustments mixing and matching various bombs, missiles, and other ordinance works just fine.

Note the FLIR mounted on the starboard intake nacelle and the asymmetric load out.

Of course, the load out doesn't necessarily need to be symmetrical as the Navy shows us in the image above with one wing pylon featuring an air to ground munition and the other with a couple of A2A missiles on a multi-ejector rack.  What is very interesting is that this toy reflects the weapon stations on the real jet quite accurately.  It's only missing a central hardpoint and two hardpoints on the sides of the fuselage that are often used to mount electronics equipment.  The below image shows such a piece of equipment molded into the fuselage of the Hornet which appears to be a Forward Looking Infra Red (FLIR) pod.  However, this shape is molded on each side of the body, even though you only need one FLIR mounted.  I guess this is a minor point, but it would have been great to have included an asymmetric fuselage to reflect the need for only a single FLIR with either an empty or a different shaped blob of plastic to include something like an ECM pod, or even better two weapons pylons and a few AAMRAM missiles (very wishful thinking).

View of the port wing and fuselage and the associated FLIR.

The Landing gear of the aircraft is simple, robust, but it lacks much in the way of sophistication.  It swings out towards it's resting position against the body or latches closed thanks to a simple friction catch.  In between, it is just free to flop around and there is nothing to hold it in the open position other than the weight of the toy when in its landed position.  This is probably a great decision to keep the gear simple and avoid breakage from a toy perspective, but it leaves something to be desired for more adult collector looking for a bit more in the way of elegance.

The cockpit is large and spacious.  This is one of the criticisms that I've heard voiced about this particular toy:that it's too big and bulbous and detracts too much from the overall shape of the otherwise sleek aircraft. It is large and fits even the largest 4" figures (trying to find my Retaliation Roadblock for confirmation) in either seated position.  I honestly don't think the enlargened cockpit detracts from it's looks and in fact is one of a number of strong points on the airplane.

Both the front and rear seat positions have a lot of detail, including an elaborate panel with a series of multi-functional displays for the Radar Intercept Officer.  Both seats also have a removable flight stick, which makes it play easily as a trainer.  Buttons line the side consoles for a very high depth of detail.  While I can't vouch for whether this looks like a real Hornet cockpit, it's busy enough to imagine that it gets pretty close.

The canopy and windshield is made of three pieces of soft, clear plastic.  The main piece attaches with a formed hinge into the rear piece and secures itself closed with a friction tab against the front for a fairly secure fit.  The canopy is removable and the simple friction hinge appears to be fairly reliable.

However, under the category of potential deal-killers, let's talk about something not so reliable.

This PTE Hornet features wings with folding tips, just like the real thing.  Displaying the big planes can be a challenge because of space, but this feature helps a lot and is quite cool, visually.  The wingtips come uninstalled, and once they snap into their slots (below), it works well locking in place in both up and down positions....at first.

 The wingtips assemble by sliding the tabs on the tips into the slots on the wings....

 ...the problem is that these tabs are just ABS plastic like the rest of the body, and wear down and can brake off rather easily.  I've broken one due to a short fall, but I don't think it takes a fall to cause problems. On Ebay, many PTE Hornets that have been opened suffer from damage or wear to these tabs you see below.  Often you'll see comments that the wings are a bit loose, or have been tapped or glued.  This is a sure sign that the tabs have either been worn down or broken off.

Nearest I can tell, Power Team Elite tried to remedy this in later versions by reinforcing the tab and changing the slot it turned within to accommodate the change.  Above I have what I believe is a more recent model of this airplane (top) and below it is another, probably older version of this same toy with a slightly different style tab.  The bottom one is a simple cylinder forming the axis of the folding wing, and the top image shows a plastic reinforcement to that tab.

(never mind the color scheme, I bought this second-hand.  It was part of someone's project to paint it up like a Sky Striker)

In the image below you can see where this tab has been sheered off completely.  

Sorry about the blurry photo, but you should be able to see the difference between the un-reinforced tab (above right) and the reinforced tab (below left)

When it holds up, the folding wings are an amazing feature.  It's cool to look at and just as importantly, it makes the plane a little easier to display.  I'm really not sure what else they could do to make this stronger.  I suppose if you are able to get one of these that you should remember to be very careful and try not to assemble/disassemble the wing ends too much.  I would rather have this feature than not even with its fragility.  I suppose you can always just glue the wingtips if they break (although I prefer to try to epoxy the tabs back on).  Just be aware of this issue when buying, and of course be very careful when handling it.

I've accepted the fact that Joe scaling is a mismatch of proportions.  Some jets like the Skystriker measures out pretty close to 1:32  compared to it's F-14 counterpart, while a lot of land based vehicles are closer to 1:18.  That said, the real F-14 was substantially larger than the real legacy F/A-18, and seven feet longer.   However, the PTE Hornet is larger than the Sky Striker; the hornet is just over 23" and the Sky Striker is just under 23".  It may be a little tough to judge based on the image below with my makeshift photo setup with the two tiered effect, but the toys are roughly comparable in size.

 



It's hard to judge Power Team Elite for this because making the plane smaller would have involved either making it a single seat toy, taking away the ample space of the well-done cockpit, or degrading the proportions of a very good looking toy.  Given all the possible compromises, I think they chose all the right ones for this toy. 

In summary this is one of my favorite Joe scaled planes due to it's features overall look and polish.  It's durability score takes a hit because of the wing-tip issue.  I envision this plane as one that fills a perceived gap in Joe Equipment, that of a versatile strike fighter less expensive than the Sky Striker.

Anyway, here are some shots of the black version. While it doesn't presume towards the realistic appearance of the grey model, it's more striking, visually.  Please note, many of the decals are NOT from the original Power Team Elite kit.  I bought this one from someone who placed some well chosen GI Joe stickers on it as an enhancement.  I wasn't going to remove them.  You can see the remanent of the sticker sheet below.

Quality:  C- (D on earlier models with weaker wingtips)

It takes a hit for it's fragile wings, but otherwise it's well built and should take decent abuse.  The wings are a big deal, however

Appearance: A-

Very sleek and I like the proportions.  Ample decals and detail in various places

Play Value/Features: A

Good accessories, good figure compatibility.  Wingtips create a quality problem, but they are a boon for the toy overall.

Overall Score: B/B+

If somehow they could have made the wingtips more rugged., this would launch itself up towards "A" territory

2015 GI Joe Convention Reveals.

I just wanted to jot down a few thoughts and organize a list of what was shown this year at the annual GI Joe Convention this year.  I wasn't there, unfortunately so I don't have images to show off of my own. Rather, let me lay out what I understand was revealed.

San Diego ComicCon exclusives:

• GI Joe "Crimson Strike" vehicle set - stunning silver and crimson Crimson Guard-themed repaint of the 30th Sky Striker, this time as a Cobra Vehicle along with a repaint of the 25th HISS tank with a new, futuristic turret gun in army green as a weapon of GI Joe.  The Sky Striker has been renamed the Cobra Scythe and the Hiss the GI Joe Chimera. Figures include new versions of: A.V.A.C, Alley Viper Officer, Steeler, and Grunt.  - will be available at SDCC at the Hasbro Toy Shop booth at a retail estimate of ($99.99)

• GI Joe "Desert Duel" vehicle set - Repaint of the GI Joe Snow Cat , er, Wolfhound in purple, red, and silver decor called the Cobra Basilisk and a new, militarized and upgraded version of the AWE Striker called the GI Joe FOE Striker that includes the minigun from the Retaliation VAMP II and a tent.  Figures include a desert camo Chuckles resembling his IDW appearance and a repaint of the Crimson Horseman figure in purple, silver, and black dubbed the Elite Horseman Driver, also a new Night Fox version and a new release of the Cobra Air Trooper.  It will be available at SDCC at the Entertainment Earth/Toys R Us both.  Retail estimate ($59.99)

• SDCC GI Joe KREO set: no info yet

I'm not sure what the expected availability the dealers is going to be post convention.  Last year they were pretty scarce to non-existent, IIRC.

Retail Toys R Us vehicle set exclusives (and I would guess, BigBadToyStore would share in these as well just as they did last year):

•  GI Joe "Desert Duel": vehicle set - Repaint of the GI Joe Snow Cat , er, Wolfhound in purple, red, and silver decor called the Cobra Basilisk and a new, militarized and upgraded version of the AWE Striker called the GI Joe FOE Striker that includes the minigun from the Retaliation VAMP II and a tent.  I don't know how the colors will differ from the SDCC exclusive listed above but it includes only Chuckles and the Elite Horseman Driver. Retail estimate ($49.99)

•  GI Joe "Silent Strike": vehicle set - Black repaint of the 30th Anniversary Sky Striker with a repaint of ACE and an Orange painted 25th Anniversary HISS Driver and HISS Gunner with a futuristic updated turret and a similar colored HISS Tank Driver.  Also included are a new sniper character named Sightline that was created in honor of the late GI Joe guru and superfan, Gary "Goggles" "Gyre-Viper" Head.  Retail Estimate ($59.99)

 Retail Toys R Us Combo Packs:

• "Swamp Steam" Two-pk: Red Crockmaster repaint and Green POC Blowtorch
•  "Troop Build-Up": Iron Grenadiers and Steel Brigade troop builder 2-pk
• "Classic Clash" Two-pk: Storm Shadow in GI Joe regalia and repaint of POC Spirit
• "Hunt for Cobra Commander" Two-pk: Red/Black Cobra Commander and Shipwreck repaint w Polly
• "Marine Devastation" Two-pk: Concept Case Gung-Ho and Shadow Gaurd
• "Chase for the MASS Device" Three-pk: Includes Duke w Jetpack, Cobra Commander with 25th CLAW glider and CLAWS Trooper
• "Sneak Attack" Three-pk: Includes Bazooka, Firefly, and Dusty
• "Vanishing Act" Three-pk: Includes Torpedo, Hit-and-Run, Zartan
• "Rock Rampage" Three-pk: Includes 25th Alpine, Rock Viper, Cobra Shock Trooper

Two packs should retail at $14.99, Three packs at $19.99

This is comparable to what we had last year with some notable standouts:

1) It was very classy of Hasbro to throw together a figure and name it after Gary Head.  Those of you who suffer from Hasbro rage, please enter this in your personal calculus as an example of a classy move that illustrates that they are aware of us in the fandom and that we are important to them.  I am unaware of any other property that has given such a nod to their fans.

2) I have heard of a couple of collectors that have been on a personal mission to acquire a Green Blowtorch or the Red Crockmaster.  Rumors and speculations involve having these products being intended for the Pursuit of Cobra line and somehow misplaced into an unknown warehouse somewhere.  Looks like they've found em!.  Putting them both in a two-pack is a huge nod to those who have been looking forward to these figures for years.

3) That 25th Alpine has been going for over $50 on ebay for some time and the Shock Trooper and Rock Viper for $25 or more.  You can get them all soon for $19.99.  If you like to rage about scalpers, the 50th line should give you some peace of mind as Hasbro continues to combat high prices on the secondary market by filling a dearth of supply for some much wanted figures.

4) The Brand has chosen to tank the market for much desired figures like Low Light, who's carded POC value has dropped from over sixty dollars to about twenty-five now with it's 50th Release.  Prices have also fallen for Cobra Troopers and Shock Troopers.  Rock Vipers will soon be plentiful now too

Another thought that was shared was that GI Joe 3 is now in production.  The next big toy release will be in support of that film.  So this seems to officially put a cap on the 50th Anniversary Line which was almost wholly a giveaway to collectors.  As I let it soak in, I am really happy with what we received yet hope there is more ambitious creativity going into the next movie line.  The 50th Anniversary was a bunch of repaints with a few tweaks here and there.  I have been wanting GI Joe to move forward for some time by releasing new molds and new characters surrounding some new mass marketable theme.  Please, I don't mean this in jest and I hope it's not too soon but I'd like to point out that someone literally had to DIE to get a new character placed in the mythos during the 50th Line.  I hope GI Joe III brings new things and new themes to gather new fans.  Us existing fans will likely come along for the ride anyway.

Power Team Elite: A-10 Thunderbolt II - Review

The A-10 Thunderbolt is one of the most beloved aircraft in the current United States inventory.  This dedicated attack craft has acquitted itself admirably over the past few decades in supporting US and NATO ground forces through a number of middle eastern conflicts.  While it has a reputation as the ultimate airborne survivor on the battlefield due to its toughness, armor and redundant systems, it was slated for retirement and scrapping by the early 1990s for a perceived lack of versatility compared to faster fighter aircraft.  Luckily for the A-10 and its fans, necessity created by the Gulf War prevented its demise as it went on to serve on the front lines of a number of wars with distinction. From Desert Storm right up through recent assaults versus ISIS, it has always earned endearing commentary from active soldiers on the line who benefit from it's firepower and awe-inspiring presence as well as aircraft buffs who appreciate it's uniqueness and underdog status.

Today, back at home it faces another threat, again this time from budget cuts and the support needs of other more modern aircraft programs.  Thus far it has proven itself just as tough at weathering the politics of military appropriations as it has at shrugging off anti-aircraft and small-arms fire.  When the A-10 finally does see retirement, it will prove the old adage that the [politician's] pen is indeed mightier than the sword.

Awhile back I did a review of the 25th Anniversary Cobra Rattler which despite some differences was obviously inspired by the venerable A-10.  The Power Team Elite A-10 creates the possibility of them both existing together in the same universe so I'll do a future write-up of how they would compare.  

Now onto the review:

This will unfortunately be one of those reviews where I don't have the opportunity to show you the retail packaging because I received this as part of a loose lot that was missing many of the accessories.  I could have tried to ascertain what was included in the original package by referencing other online sources and product shots and then throw in substitutes from my existing stock, but the stuff that's missing is fairly common and unremarkable within the PTE line and I just don't feel the need to throw any fuel barrels, crummy pilots, or the ladder you've already seen into the mix to approximate completeness of the set (though I may do so in a future revision).  I do, however, seem to have the complete weapons compliment, ie: missiles and bombs.  I basically have what's important, so I'll just go from there.

For a toy, the PTE A-10 looks remarkably in proportion to the real bird pictured above, but that's not always a good thing.  Most full echo-sized class GI Joe and Cobra Aircraft are an amalgamation of (approximately) 1:32 and 1:18 scales.  To accommodate the modern GI Joe 4" figures, the cockpit area has to be larger proportionally than the body.  You can see from the picture below that 25th Ace can't quite sit low enough for the canopy to close, and he's not he only Joe/Cobra figure with this issue as I've tried several, and can't find a figure that fits well enough.  Of course, Power Team Elite is not a GI Joe product, it is it's own brand with it's own figures which fit great in the cockpit.  However, if you try proper O-ring 3.75" GI Joe figures in the pilot's seat, they fit just fine.  This leaves me in a conundrum.  I'm not sure when the PTE A-10 was designed and manufactured, but it's likely it was done around or within a few years of the modern scale.  At that point most GI Joe figures children had would have fit just fine, yet as a GI Joe blog I still must find fault with it for not having the flexibility to allow for the proper seating of the larger modern figures.

The issue is there is inadequate hip space for most modern figures, especially those with holsters or sheathes attached to the hip.  For a modern figure to fit it must: 1) have narrow enough hips with no attachments, sit down flat, and have a thin enough crotch so the legs can be placed together in a seated position.  After trying several the only one found so far that works is yellow Retaliation Jinx, who for me is far from the first choice I would use as a pilot.  It would take quit a bit of modification to fit most other modern figures.

The cockpit is simple with a few dials, but nothing too fancy.  Strangely enough, PTE elected to give the Thunderbolt's pilot a wheel instead of a proper joystick.  

Another thing I find a bit distracting about the A-10 from the perspective of a GI Joe collector is it's overall size.  Compared to the 30th Anniversary Skystriker, it's a little larger with slightly more wingspan.  In real life, the A-10 is a bit smaller.  I suppose this isn't a big deal, after all, Joe product isn't consistently in scale with itself, but it is worth mentioning.

For color, PTE went with a weathered medium gray similar to the pictures of the real bird near the top of the page.  The panel and surface detailing is pretty good, about the same level of detail that Hasbro toys typically have.  Absent, however, are any removable panels.  

I received this A-10 as a loose lot of two in an Ebay auction awhile back.  While I lack the figures, ladder, and other accessories that came with this, I have what I consider important: all the parts of the aircraft itself as well as all the ordinance that comes with this set.  Plus, I have a complete, unapplied sticker sheet and instructions seen later in the review.  If you've seen any Power Team Elite set or my other reviews, you would probably come to the conclusion that while the accessories are good to have for building a diorama with.  However,  the figures themselves are pretty lackluster lacking much detail and with limited, blocky articulation. 

The top picture shows all the bombs, missiles, and electronic devices that come with the aircraft, as well as the two tail fins that clip on the elevators.  The lower image showcases the weapon's load from left to right:

1. AGM-65 'Maverick' air-to-ground missiles (x2)
2. BL-755 cluster bombs (x2)
3. AIM-9 air-to-air infra-red missiles (x2)
4. Mark 82 iron bombs with JDAM guidance and airburst sensor (x4 with multiple ejector rack positioned above)
5. AN/ALQ-184 ECM Pod
6. AN/ALQ-131 ECM pod.

I find the armament a little confusing.  Why two ECM pods? the 184 is the more advanced of the two, and the maverick missile is a but dull looking.  On the other hand, there's a lot of things to hang on the pylons and once they are there it looks great.  It's always good to have options.  

Like the SU-27 and other PTE jets the A-10's ordinance mounts to I-beam pylons.  The trouble with these often are that they are not so precisely created.  Some accessories will slide on and off the pylon with just the right resistance, others fit too loosely on a particular pylon while some are a tough fit that you must force on.  They seem to be sturdy despite being long and thin, but I may suggest gently sanding problem pylons down to fit instead of muscling with plastic too hard.

From the above angle you can also see what some might consider a flaw with the wing design: they are hollow from the bottom.  It doesn't bug me too much because visually it has so much else going for it, but some purists may take exception to this economy of plastic.

These wings however are sturdy and won't break easily.  The rest of the body is rather rugged also, though I do have some concerns about the flat plastic sheet making the horizontal stabilizers.  I do consider this to be a toy for an older, more responsible child who would be less likely to strain that portion of the tail.   

To me, a proper Joe-scaled jet just isn't legitimate without an appropriate landing gear, and the A-10 doesn't disappoint.  The mechanisms are very simple and work very well, though the front gear sticks and could use a gentle sanding to close and open better.  Notice how the two wheels stick out of the nacelles just like on the real aircraft.  The landing gear is very sturdily constructed and should have no problems enduring rough handling.

Next to the front landing gear below, we see the A-10's "Pave Penny" laser spot tracker.  This allows the A-10 to spot where other aircraft are pointing their lasers in order to drop laser guided smart weapons at the target.  It hangs below the aircraft off it's side just as it does in real life.  Unfortunately this means that if you opt to sit the aircraft down with it's gear retracted, this thin piece of plastic will be supporting the aircraft.  While it's plastic is sturdy just as it is for the rest of the plane, it's something to be aware of so that it's not snapped off by accident.

Following Hasbro's inspiration, the set does come with some instructions and a very basic military sticker set seen below.  It's not nearly as intricate in the graphics as Hasbro product usually is, but in contrast Power Team Elite focuses more on a more authentic military look in it's toyline.  PTE Sticker quality seems to be on par with Hasbro's stuff (except for some of the terrible stickers of GI Joe's 25th Anniversary line) and offers lettering and numbering options that Hasbro never does. 

Quality/Appearance: B+

Very durable, some small concerns about it's structural soundness in the face of rough handling if it's tail.  Long, exposed pieces of plastic that could plausibly break off from mishandling, but judging by the sturdiness of the plastic itself, this is a rather small concern I think. 

Good fit and finish in appearance, good color.  Very good Joe-scaled interpretation of the real aircraft.

Play Value/Accessories: C (B+ if you are into O-Ring)

Modern figures mostly don't fit because the seat is to narrow.  O-Ring Joes probably mostly fit fine.  Maverick missiles are too plain, but missiles and ordinance are plentiful.  

Figure:NA

Mine didn't come with any, but who cares as these figures are substandard anyway; though I tend to not punish PTE for focusing on the vehicle rather than trying to compete with Hasbro's strengths.

 

Final Grade: B- (B+)

I think this is a very solid addition to a 3.75" figure air force, but there are obvious reservations to be had for the more modern 4" scale.  While GI Joe seems to have a very strong presence in air-to-air threats with the Sky Striker and the Conquest, I've always found their attack jets somewhat lacking.  The A-10 therefore fills a distinct need on the the GI Joe armory.

However, the A-10 hasn't seen retail release in years.  It is about as rare as the SU-27, maybe even more so.  It took me a long time before spotting a really good deal that probably passed beneath a lot of collector's radars since it was part of a lot that didn't include much info.  I feel fortunate to have this.